Page 85 of The Sun He Buried

“My brother has a gift for finding the longest road to any inconvenience.”

Ketill takes another drink. “He says much the same about you.”

“Does he.”

“With less warmth.”

Baldr smiles without showing teeth. “That sounds right.”

My fork stops halfway to my mouth. “If he wanted to inconvenience you, why send the replacement at all?”

Neither answers at once.

Ketill studies the folded message.

Baldr rubs his thumb across mine again. “Eirik and I have had six hundred years to make simple things difficult.”

“That seems excessive.”

“We are thorough.”

“Did you start when you were children?”

“He broke my nose when we were children.”

“You said that was an accident.”

“He said it was an accident.”

Ketill cuts into his meat. “It wasn’t.”

Baldr turns. “You weren’t there.”

“He told me.”

“He told you?”

“He was very pleased.”

I start laughing.

Baldr looks injured.

“I was ten.”

“That does make it worse.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you bleed a great deal?”

“Sól.”

“I’m concerned.”

“You’re smiling.”

“I can do two things.”